Potato-handling device



Nov. 24'l 1925- l A. TRGVATON POTATO HANDLING DEVICE FiledMay 9, 1923' 5 sheets-Sheet 1 v INVEN-rcn e wlrNzssEs :A ndr. 1d Trovall ATTOR N EY A. TROVATON POTATO HANDLING DEVICE Filed May 9, 1923 s sheets-sheet 2 .NN QN MMV S f l INVENT Andrewl'aua WITNESSES Nov. 24, 1925- A. TROVATON POTATO HANDLING DEVCE 3 Sheets-Sheetl 5 Filed May 9, 1925 EISEN-lal- INVENTCR roya Zon WITNESSES ATTO RN EY Patented' Novi 24, i925.

UNITED STATES.

Potrero-HANDLING DEVICE.

Application led May 9,

g To all who-m it may concern:

` Be it'known that I, ANDREW Tnova'roiv,` -a citizen of the'United States, residing at Thief River Falls, in the county of Pennington and State ot' Minnesotinliave invented new and useful' Improvements in Potato-Handling Devices, of which the 'following is a specification.

IThis invention relates to a potato liandling devicewhich is ada ted to -travel through the field, and to faci itate the work of picking up, sorting and bagging potatoes orthe like.

The general object of the invention is to provide a vehicle adapted to straddle a row and to support a number' of persons in a' v convenientposition for picking up the poto remain on vcome thoroughly dry and are then picked tatoes as the vehicle travels slowly over ldie field, and which may also be rovided with automatic means for conveying, cleaning, sorting, bagging and weighing the potatoes.

In the machines which have heretofore been used for digging and gathering potatoes automatically, it is impossible to provide elicient means for separating the stones andV rubbish from thepotatoes, and

moreover Whenthe potatoes are transferred directly from the'digging apparatus to the bags without having a chance to dry, a great deal -of 'wet earth adheres thereto and the moisture has a tendency to cause rotting. In the use of the present invention, however, the potatoes, after being dug, are permitted the ground long enouglrto beup by ersons carried ontlie vehicle' and manual y deliveredv to the -mechanism which performs the various functions referredto above.

In carrying out my invention, the frame of the vehicle includes side platforms for While the device is in use,

supporting the pickers, and a rea-r platformm for supporting the bags being filled and a person for attending to the same. All of the platforms are carried. close to the ground but may be raised vertically. when passing from' onefield to another, or for-other reasons. The potatoes, as they are picked, are thrown onto a conveycr and transferred thereby to an elevator which delivers them to suitable cleaning and' sorting devices, after which the marketable potatoes are delivered into bags supported' by automatic weighing mechamsm.

Vbetween the -frame and Aoperation of the l Vto the ground, are each provided with a 1923. serial no. cameo.

driving gear and clutc Fig. 7 is a detail sectional tially on the line 7-7 of 6.

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section through he rear poi-tion of the invention. Fig. S) is a. rear elevation of the invention with parts shown in section,

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view on the line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view on the line 124-12 of Fig. 11. Y

Fig. 13 is a detail view of the connection the front axle. The device which comprises my invention includes a mai frame having side platforms 1 and'2 adapted to straddle a row of potatoes to be ,picked, and a rear platform 3 on'which an attendant may stand fortaking care of the bags o-potatoes as they become filled. fThe frame also includes a transverse upright portion 4 on which may be provided a suitable seat for the driver of the vehicle.' The entire frame is supported for vertical adjustment, byA means hereinafter described,fupon the rear axle 7 and iear wheels 8, and at the front end, is supported b ya forwardly-extending yoke 9'Vfrom the front axle 10 and front wheels 11. vA dust guard 9A`may be attached to the yoke 9. The plat-forms 1 and invention are carried close number of pads 12. on which the knees of plan view thereotwith parts Pia'xrivrl OFFICE.

is a transverse sectional viewl of a. portion of the invention showing the main view substan- 5 andfoot rest 6 i 2, `which diiiingl the i contained within frames 14 which have upstanding flanges l at `their outer corners, provided with pivot pins 16 to which extension members 17 aie connected through the medium of elongated'slots 18. During the operation of picking, the extension members 17 normally lie flat upon the respec- .tive platforms l and 2, but when going to and from the field, the members 14 may be raised as shown in full lines in Fig. l1, to provide backs for the pads-12, which may new be used as seats. The lower edge of each back 17 is flat` as seen at 19 in Fig. 11',

whereby the back is suitably held in upright position, but may be easily lowered by lifting the same upwardly until the pins 16 engage the lower ends of the slots 18.

The platforms 1 and 2 are suitably1 braced by cross bars 20, each of which is formed centrally with a downwardly-bent portion 21 forming a saddle within which a conveycr trough 22 is held. A conveyor, preferably of the endless type, is mountedV to travel rearwardly within the trough 22, and comprises a pair of sprocket chains 23 mounted upon sprocket wheels 2.1- and 25 carried by shafts 26 and 27 journaled within the couveyer trough. The sprocket chains 23 carry a series of trausverf-:e 'slats 2S which are spaced apart sutliciently to permit the dirt to sift through the same and be discharged th-rough the opem` bottom of the trough 22 onto the ground. The rear shaft 26 ot' the conveyer is provided with a drive sprocket wheel 29 connected by a sprocket chain 30 and sprocket wheel 31 to a coun-v tershaft 32 which is operatively connected by a 'spur gear Ito the main driving gear 34 ou the rear axle 7.

The rear end of the conveyor trough 22 is provided with a. hopper 35, within which is Journaled the lower shaft 36 of the elevator. This shaft carries sprocket wheels 37 over which pass the sprocket chains 38 of the elevator, the. upper portions of said chains passing over similar sprocket wheels on a shaft 39 driven by sprocket gearing 40 from'the countershaft 32. The elevator is provided with buckets 41 or other suitable elevating devices secured to certainlinks of the .chains 38 and adapted to receive the potatoes delivered from the conveyer slats' 28 and elevate the same to thecleaning and sorting mechanism which willV now be described.

Beneath the upper end of the elevator, as

best seen in Fig. 8, is a hopper 42 supported on a cross bar v43 of the upright portion 4 of the frame and having perforations 44 in It will be understood that the sorter 46` may be constructed in any suitable manner to grade the potatoes into as many different sizes as may be desired. As shown herein,

the small potatoes pass through the openings 47 onto a chute 49 which is pivotally mounted at its upper end on a rod or shaft 50 suitably supported beneath the sorter, and the lower end of the chute 49 is supported on a suitable rest 5l near one side of the platform 3, where a suitable receptacle may be provided for receiving the small potatoes.

The chute 48, into which the marketable potatoes are delivered, is divided at its lower end into branches 52 and 53 'into which the potatoes are delivered alternately by means of a switch 54. This switch is secured to 'the upper end of a vertical shaft 55 which extends from the chute 48 downwai-dl).v and is journaled at its lower end in a bracket 56 secured to the forward part of the platform 3. A cam 57 in the shape of a triangle or heart is secured to the lower end of 'the shaft 55 and extends rearwardlyY therefrom. the sides of the ycam being in the vertical lanes of movement of arms 58 and 59, whlch extend forwardly from rock shafts 60 and 6l, journ'aled in bearings 62 on the floor of the platform 3. The opposite ends of the rock shafts 60 and (il extend upwardly and rearwardly. as shown at 63 and 64, and support bag platforms 65 and 66.

llach of the bag platforms ($5 and 66 is substantially horizontal and adapted to support a bag 67, as shown in Fig. 8. The bag platforms are guided for vertical movement by pins 68. and at their forward sides are connected with upright arms 69, the upper endsv of which are pivoted to the short arms 70 of levers or Scale bea-ms 71 which are any desired quantity of potatoes before the scale beamswill be overbalanced and the bag platforms 65 and 66 settle upon the platform 3. Suitable bag supports 75 and 76 bags open in as they are discharged vfrom the branches and 53 of thil chute.

lVhen one ot the bags has received a suflicient quantity of 'potatoes t'o oren-balance the counterweight 73,

the forward ,end S or 59 of the respective rock shaft 60 or 61 is raised to engage the inclinedsurface of the brackets S5 which are ot the main frame, as the vertical transverse 'a clutch collar 77,

-the platforms 1, 2'

cam 57 and to rock the shaft 55 and operate the switch 54, thus shifting the stream of potatoes into the other branch of the chute.

It will be understood that 'as the machine is passing over the field, the rear axle 7 is continuously driven by the rear wheels 8 and the conveyer and elevator mechanism are normally driven through the medium of gears?) and 34. In turning corners, however, it is.v desirable to disconnect this mechanism, and for this purpose, I have provided Figs.,6 and 7, which is slidably keyed to the axle 7 and operable by means of abell crank 78 into or out of engagement with the driving gear 34, the latter being freely rotatable on the shaft 7 when the clutch is disengaged. The bell crank 78 is mounted for rocking movementV on a bracket 7 9 vsupported on the platform 1, and is connected by a link 8O to a hand lever 81 within reachot the operator on the platform 8, the lever being prov f-l to lock the lever and clutch in the desired position.l A v A rlhe -main frame ot he machine, including and' 3, is preferably vmounted tor vertical adjustment with respect to the rear axle 7, so that the same may be raised when passing from one field t5 another to provide ample clearance from the ground.' -To this end, the axle 7 is mounted in vertically elongated slots secured frame portion 4.V .lonrnaled on the axle 7, adjacent each of the brackets 85, is a; link S6 which extends upwardly lfrom Vthe axle and the upper end of 'which forms a fulcrum on which a lever 87 is intermediately` pivoted. The forward end of-this lever is pivoted at 88 to the frame member posite end.- of the lever extends rearwardly a nd is provided with a handle 89. The lever is engage-able with a quadrant 90 for locking the trame in its adjusted position, A strong spring 91 connectlon 88. It will 'he seentherefore, that. by depression of the rear `end of the lever 87.the front end thereof will be raised about the upper end of the link 86 as a fulcrum, thus raising the entire machine .frame on the axle 7. while the tension of spring 91 has a tendency to overcome the weightf the 'frame and facilitate its adjustment.

yguished by machinery ided Vwith a. thumb llatch 82 cooperating with a suitable segment 84 formed 1n' to some part 4, while the op? connects the lever 87 to the frame at a point considerably below the pivotal.V

rovision is also made for `:ertically adf justing the front end of the vehicle body with respect to the 'front axle. For this purpose the king bolt 92' which receives the eye 9? formed in the toi-ward end of the yoke 9 is provided with a spacing sleeve 94 which may be placed above or below the eye 93. Any number of these spacing sleeves may be used to provide the adjustment dcsired. v

By Athe use of my invention, as above described, vthe entire process of picking up, sorting andweighing the potatoes iS accomplished by a continuous operation. The ickers being supported by the platform are left with both hands tree so that their entire attention and energy may be directed tothe icking up of the potatoes. No time will be ost in moving the baskets or in emptying the same and the Work of picking may be 'carried on much more rapidly and with less expense. The method employed is more practical than using a machine which digs the potatoes, and automatically gathers and bags the same While still wet along with stones and clods which cannot be dist-inrom the potatoes. The combination of and weighing devices eliminates the necessityv of emptying' the potatoes first into sacks and then emptying as has heretofore been donc. The sacks of potatoes will all be of uniform weight and thus the expense of re-weghing to obtain i the correct amount in' each bag is eliminated.

If desired however the potatoes may be delivered directly from the 'elevator into a wagon travelling alongside and transported to the warehouse for sorting. y

While I have shown and described the structural details ot one form in which the invention may be embodiedit will be understood that this is merely illustrative, and that many ii'iodilications may be made therein as long as no material departure is made from the salienti features of the invention, as set forth in the claims. Obviously, the device may also be used in gatheringV other kinds of vegetables.

What is claimed is:-

vehicle 'having side platforms located'elose the cleaning, sorting the sacks into the sorter,

v 115 1. In a potato handling device, a wheeled to the ground and adapted' to straddlefa row. said platforms being provided with padded members on which the pickers may kneehea'ch padded member having an outwardlextension which is 'adjustable to` upright yposition to form a back when the added member is used as a seat, a substani tia-Il v horizontal conveyer supported mid wayfbetween the platforms and spaced there from, and means for handling vegetabless they are delivered from the conveyer.

Y 2. In a potato A vehicle having sidel pla. orxns located close.

handlin device, a wheeled hicle for receiving the potatoes as they are picked and conveying them rearwardly, transverse brace bars connecting the side platforms and having intermediate downwardly bent portions forming saddles in which said conveyer is supported, padded members supported on the side platforms on which the pickers may kneel, each padded member havlng an outward extension which is adjustable vehicle, a conveyer mounted thereon adapted to upright position to form a. back when the padded member is used as a seat, and means for receiving the potatoes from the conveyer and delivering them to a receptacle on the rear platfor 3. In a potato handling device, a wheeled vehicle including front and rear wheel sup ported axles, a frame supported by said axles and having longitudinally extending spaced side platforms for supporting the pickers, a substantially horizontal conveyer disposed longitudinally between the platforms, transverse brace bars connecting the platforms and constituting means for supporting said conveyer, means carried by said rame for receiving the potatoes from the conveyer and cleanin and sorting them, and means for raising andy' lowering either end of said frame, independently of the other end.

4. In a potato handling device, a`wheeled vehicle having side platforms adapted .to straddle a. row for supporting pickers, a rear platform for supporting a receptacle, a

conveyer extending longitudinally between the side platforms for receiving the potatoes as the arer picked, said conveyer being operab e bythe forward travel of the vehlcle, a chute having two branches at its discharge end terminating above the rear platform, means for transferrin the 'potatoes from the conveyer to the c ute, a switch operable to .direct the potatoes into one or the other of said branches, and means for automatically shifting the switch, said shifting means being operated bythe weight of the potatoes delivered from either of Said chutes to a receptacle carried by the the pickers,

rear latform.

5. a vehicle having longitudinal spaced platorms located close to the ground and adapted to straddle a row for supporting a rear platform connecting the rear ends of the side platforms and adapted to Support bags for receiving potatoes, a conveyer extending longitudinally between the side platforms and supported thereby for receiving -the potatoes as they are picked, revolubly mounted brushes for clean ing the potatoes, means for receiving the potatoes from the conveyer and -directing potato handling device, a wheeledl them into contact with the brushes, and

-means for subsequently sorting the potatoes porting'pickers close to the ground on each side of the conveyer, revolubly 'mounted brushes for cleaning the potatoes, means for receiving the potatoes from theconveyer and direct-ing them into contact with the brushes, and means for subsequently sorting and bagging the potatoes.

7 In a potato handling device, a wheeled to receive potatoes as they are icked, said conveyer being lo erated by t e forward travel of the vehlcle, a chute having two branches at its discharge end, means for transferring the potatoes from the conveyer to the chute, a switch operable to'direct the potatoes into one or the other of said branches, and means for automatically shifting the switch, said shifting means being A`operated by the weight of the potatoes dedelivered, said shifting means being oper ated by the weight of the potatoes, and adjustable means for varying the weight required to operate the shifting means.

9. In a potato handling device, a wheeled vehicle, means for receiving potatoes as they are picked and conveying them rear wardly'and upwardly, a chute having two branches at its discharge end, means for transferring the potatoes from the'conveyer and elevator to the chute, a vertical rock shaft having a switch secured to its upper end operable by the rocking of the shaft to direct the potatoes into one or the other of said branches, a cam secured to the lower end of the rock shaft. a vertically-movable platform beneath the mouth of each branch for supporting a bag or other receptacle, a counterbalance for each platform normally maintaining it in itsV u t permost position but adapted to b e overba anced by a predetermined weight of potatoes, and means operable by the platform in descending to cu.- gage said cam to rock the rock shaft and shift said switch. 1

10. In a potato handling device, a wheeled vehicle, a chute supported on the vehicle and having two branches at its discharge end,

means for receiving potatoes as they are picked and delivering the same to the upper end'of the chute, a switch operable to direct the potatoes into one or the other of said branches, a vertical rock shaft to the upper end of which the` switch is secured,'a cam secured to the lower end of the rock shaft, a vertically movable platform 'beneath the mouth of each chute for supporting .a bag or other rece tacle, an intermediately ful.

Y crumed 'sca e beam for each' plat-form having a connection at one side of its ulcrum to its respective platform, and an adjustable counterbalance at the other side-of'its fulcrum, a pair of horizontal rock shafts each h. ving an arm in contact with thel under side of one of the platforms, and a second arm movable when the-shaft is rocked into i Contact 'with said cam, said shaft being normallyheld by gravity out of contact with the cam but actuated ,bythe descent of the platform to engagethe cam and rock the vertical shaft to shift said sw itch.

11. In a potato handlin device, a wheeled vehicle including a main rame having front and rear axles, said frame havingv vertical slots in which the rear axle is mounted, a link journaled on the axle adjacent each slot, a lever fulcrumed to the 'upper end of the link and operable to raise or lower the l main frame with respect to the rear axle. I.

' 12. In a, potato handling device, a wheelsupported axle, a mal'n frame having substantiallv vertical lslots in which theaxle is mounted, a lever adjacent each Aslot having one end pivotedA to the frame and having a movable fulcrum supported bythe axle, said lever being operable to raise and lower the frame with respect to the axle, and means for locking the 'lever to support the frame in the desired position of adjustment.

13. In a potato handling device, a wheelsupported axle, a main frame having substantially vertical slots in which the axle is .mounted, a lever adjacent each slot having nally-extending s aced side platforms for supporting the pic ters, a conveyer supported by and between the platforms, means carried by the main frame for receiving the potatoes from. the conveyer, cleanin and sorting them, and means -for adjusting either end of the main frame vertically, independently. of the other end.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my slgnature. v

ANDREW TROVATON. 

